FM Synchronous Boosters And Single Frequency Networks Tim

FM Synchronous Boosters And Single Frequency Networks Tim Bealor, VP RF Products John Macdonald, Sales Manager, Europe Middle East, Africa Lutfi Aysan, Onair Medya

Today’s Topics • • Company Overview Sample Installations & Technological Issues System Configurations BE Solutions

Corporate Overview Nearing fifty years of serving radio broadcasters worldwide Headquartered in Quincy, Illinois Products encompass program generation, audio and data management, inter-facility transport and analog and digital transmission

FM Transmitters • Comprehensive product line from 50 W to 70 KW • All transmitters upgradeable to HD Radio

AM Transmitters • Comprehensive product line from 500 W to 100 KW • All transmitters upgradeable to digital

Transport Products Marti • The ONLY answer for traditional RPU applications • Reliable, cost effective composite & discreet STL’s Digital Cellcast • Take your station anywhere! • The ultimate in remote portability Big Pipe LT • High bandwidth digital performance • Upgrade you link for HD compatibility at an affordable price Audio Over IP • No more worries about long, unreliable paths • Originate your signal with remote IP access from your laptop

Studio Products Audio. VAULT • Broadcast delivery software system • Tools to manage, create and deliver content • Personalized workspaces The Radio Experience (TRE) • Complete message management capabilities • Supports RDS, RT+, HD, Web and more Soni. Xtream • Turnkey internet streaming services • Branded custom players • Ad insertion • Multiple revenue generation components

Today’s Topics • • Company Overview Sample Installations & Technological Issues System Configurations BE Solutions

Synchronous FM Boosters: Why do we need them? Scenario #1 – Filling in dead spots in coverage. – Allows the broadcaster to fix areas that are terrain shielded but would otherwise be within the 1 m. V/M (or other) contour. Scenario #2 – Covering a long road with one station. – Increasingly, stations are getting licenses for a coverage along a major highway with just a single frequency. Scenario #3 – Regional coverage. – Allows a licensee to cover a region with several stations – all on the same frequency

Fixing Dead Spots Dead spots are created by terrain shielding – where there is no reasonable line of site. A low power, on frequency booster may be located within the shadowed area to improve coverage. Interference Areas Booster Transmitter Main Transmitter

Main 25 k. W FM Transmitter Synchronous FM 250 W Booster Terrain Shielded Area Tall Buildings – Central Business District

Fixing Dead Spots

Creating continuous coverage on a road Long, important highways are good targets for a radio station you can listen to without changing the dial. Many small transmitters are synchronized to provide unbroken service.

Regional Coverage True, regional stations may be created by synchronizing high power stations. Station identity can be created – the frequency is the same across the whole region. Frequency allocation is easier – the same frequency can be used for adjacent stations.

The Problem: Interference Zones Where the coverage areas overlap, and the ratios of the signal strengths approach unity, the signal quality is affected. Basel Interference Zone Zurich

Key Issues • Where the coverage areas overlap, and the ratios of the signal strengths approach unity, the signal quality is affected. • If the RF carriers are not frequency synchronized, significant distortion and noise will result. • If the audio levels are not exactly the same, the noise floor increases dramatically with a “white noise” which varies with the level of the audio. • If the pilots are not synchronized, in both frequency and phase, the pilot detector in the receiver will switch back and forth and this will be audible in the stereo signal. • If the audio phase is not synchronized, distortion results. • If everything – audio, pilot & carrier are all synchronized, the signal will be optimized.

Composite Baseband: L=5 k. Hz, R=7 k. Hz 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – in phase 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – ¼ d. B deviation difference 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – ½ d. B deviation difference 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – 1 d. B deviation difference 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – 90° time delay 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Two carriers – 180° time delay 0 d. B -20 d. B -40 d. B -60 d. B -80 d. B -100 d. B 0 Hz 10 k. Hz 20 k. Hz 30 k. Hz 40 k. Hz 50 k. Hz

Today’s Topics • • Company Overview Sample Installations & Technological Issues System Configurations BE Solutions

Previous System Block Diagram May be accomplished with GPS receivers at both sites, or by use of a reference tone to sync both exciters. Problem: Doesn’t provide synchronized audio phase or level, or pilot phase.

What’s needed (2) FXi-60 or FXi-250 Digital FM exciters (1) Uncompressed Digital STL with AES/EBU input and output. We have used the Moseley Starlink 9400 Q. (2) Rack mounted GPS receivers with 10 MHz TTL level output and outdoor antenna. We have used the ESE Model 110. (1) AES/EBU Splitter/Delay with minimum delay time of approximately one microsecond, and increments of one microsecond to a maximum delay of one millisecond. We have used the Quantec Zombie 1212/DSP.

Other Company System Block Diagram

BE System Block Diagram Using FXi ESP

Today’s Topics • • Company Overview Sample Installations & Technological Issues System Configurations BE Solutions

BE’s approach - Synchronize everything • The entire system is digital. • The audio is synchronized by using an uncompressed Digital AES/EBU Link • The levels of the transmitted audio are locked because we use the AES/EBU inputs on the FXi ESP series exciter. • The carriers and the pilot are synchronized by using the internal GPS receiver. • The delays are extremely accurate because of 1 usec internal delay accuracy • A patent has been applied for.

This is what makes it happen FXi 60/250 esp • Adaptive pre-correction • Internal delay • Internal GPS receiver • IP connectivity • Dual RF outputs • Direct to carrier synthesis And Much More

No External GPS Required • Internal GPS Receiver with rear panel antenna connection • Self Contained Synchronous Booster Operation — Locked to GPS, 10 MHz and 1 PPS — Pilot and Carrier locked to 1 PPS • 1 usec delay resolution designed to specifically accommodate booster operation Timing Inputs

Ideal for Analog and HD Simulcast • • • Only BE provides delay of composite input Delay AES Inputs 1 usec delay resolution 0 to 15 seconds delay of FM Analog for Diversity Delay User defined Ramp Up and Ramp Down Time

0. 1 d. B Deviation Accuracy • • If the modulation levels from two different exciters in a booster application are not exactly the same, it will result in the audio having a significant amount of noise and distortion. When implementing a synchronous or single frequency network the AES audio input should be used. This allows the FXi esp exciter to set the modulation levels to 0. 1 d. B accuracy. Level differences of 0. 3 to 0. 5 d. B can result in poor audio quality near the overlap areas.

System Synchronization • Signal Outputs for external use — 10 MHz — 1 PPS — 19 k. Hz Pilot • Internal GPS eliminates need for additional GPS receiver Timing Outputs

True Dual Exciter Operation • • Dual RF Outputs allow one exciter to drive TWO transmitters! High Power (0 to 250 watts) Medium Power (0 to 15 watts) Higher output power levels eliminate the need for additional external amplifiers High Power RF Output Medium Power RF Output

Rich in Audio Inputs… • More than any competing brand! • Audio Inputs — Dual Independent AES/EBU Inputs eliminate the need for external AES switching — L & R Analog Inputs — Balanced & Unbalanced Composite Inputs Dual Independent AES Inputs L&R Analog Inputs

. . with Easy Source Setup • Primary/Backup Audio Source Setup — — AES 1 AES 2 Composite Analog L&R

Dynamic RDS Generator • Truly expands your RDS message capabilities! — Accepts dynamic serial RDS data or external generator — Eliminates need for external RDS generator — Serial data from source Dynamic RDS Input External RDS Generator Input

Flexible I/O Configuration • Allows flexible operational control for specialized installations • More than 45 unique settings • User-Defined General Purpose I/O — Can be used with any remote interface — 12 inputs with 12 outputs • All I/O’s are mode selectable Defined GPI/O User-Defined GPI/O

“True” Silence Sense Detection • No dead air in your revenue stream • User adjustable parameters-You’re in Control! — Threshold Level — Switchover Time — Switchback Time

Upgrades Station Measurement Capability • • • Instrument Grade Spectrum Analyzer eliminates the need for an external unit Capable of measuring NRSC mask compliance High resolution spectrum display of all modes — — -20 d. B ratio FM+HD -10 d. B ratio FM+HD FM Only HD Only

Ethernet Connectivity • • IP Addressability for Remote Access Easy set up

Reduced Downtime in Backup Operation • 8 Independent, selectable and downloadable configurations — — Mode of Operation Frequency Output Power Audio Source • N+1 Applications • Backup Transmitter Applications

Reduces AES Conversion Cost • • • Provides Composite output to drive main analog or backup transmitter Eliminates the need to upgrade an analog only transmitter to accept AES input Eliminates need for external stereo generator Composite Output

Efficient Operation and Troubleshooting • Front Panel Diagnostics and Metering — Larger Front Panel Display • 8. 4” display — Soft-Key Menu Selection — 18 analog parameters • Forward Power • Reflected Power • Power Supply Voltages — Alarm Indication • Latched Output — Fault Indication • Non Latched — Event Logging

Lower Cost of Ownership Things you may NOT need with the FXi 60/250 esp…. Spectrum Analyzer GPS Receiver External Power Amplifiers AES External Switching External Stereo Generator Standby Exciter Backup Transmitter $ 6, 000 - $20, 000 $ 1, 300 $ 3, 500 $ 800 $ 2, 000 $ 5, 000 - $15, 000 $ 15, 000

QUESTIONS?

Thank You Tim Bealor, tbealor@bdcast. com John Macdonald, jmacdona@bdcast. com www. bdcast. com Lutfi Aysan, aysan@onair. com. tr

System Timing